The Opposite of Sophrosyne
by erebororbust
Summary: If it wasn't the drums mucking things up, then it was always something else, and the Master was getting sick of it. [Or, the Master can't seem to catch a break and have an easy day for once. Master!whump, drabble collection. NO SLASH.] Current chapter title: "Lullaby"
1. Drumming

**A/N: So, this is just a little random idea that came to me about a week ago when I was reading a disappointing fanfic at midnight, and since then I now have several drabbles to publish in this little collection. Enjoy!**

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_One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. _

It got louder and louder with every beat, each thump got louder and _hotter _until it felt like his head was on fire, so hot and _searing, _he couldn't _think, one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four, one, two, three, four..._

Darkness danced over his vision and he couldn't see; couldn't see a single thing, couldn't see and couldn't think and couldn't _hear _and he could only feel the fire...

_One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. _

The fire raged and burned and the drums kept beating, the flames crackling along to the constant four-beat rhythm.

_One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four. _

It was only when the arms wrapped around him and the soft whisper of "_I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,_" drifted into his ears that the Master cried. The tears spilled and started to put out the fire as he found himself hugging the Doctor back and burying his face in his shoulder, letting himself be weak, just this once.

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**Reviews are candy for an author who has a major sweet tooth ;)**


	2. Shattered Glass

**A/N: Mk, just remembered that in this I refer to the Master as a blond, so I guess this is an AU of the end of EoT. That's cool, I do prefer blond!Master over brunet!Master, though brunet!Master is still the Master too; just not as pretty, in my opinion.**

**But anyway! Here's drabble two! (And big thanks to The Captain Carrot for reviewing!) **

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Glass shattered.

The sound was sharp. Loaded. Crystallized. A powerful, clean and cutting sound that made the Doctor's hand still, hovering over a set of levers on the console.

It was the blood-curdling scream that followed, however, that made him only the afterimage of a pair of white converse in the air as he sprinted to find the source.

The source itself was writhing, clawing at his temples and curled on the kitchen floor, repeating soft, pitiful and broken pleas as his thoughts were drowned out by a loud, four-beat drumming. The shattered shards of a water glass lay all around him, and though some of the smaller ones dug into his arms, he didn't feel a thing.

White converse skidded to a stop beside him, and the Doctor knelt, hesitating, before laying a gentle hand on the broken man's head.

Watery, fearful brown eyes glanced up at him and the Doctor leaned down, slowly uncurling his blond friend and guiding him into a sitting position.

Pulling the other man toward him, the Doctor wrapped his arms around him tightly and closed his eyes, sighing tiredly and wondering if they'd ever be able to cure him.

The Master let his chin drop onto the Doctor's shoulder as a few tears fell, and he hugged him back, tightly as well, as the drums continued to pound. He wondered what he'd be without them.

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**A/N: Reviews are candy for an author who has a major sweet tooth! ;)**


	3. Lullaby

**A/N: Here's chapter three! This is currently my favorite out of the three measly drabbles posted in here, but I do have a couple more in the works, so... yup.**

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Screams. One after another. Scared and raw and lonely; they rang out through the TARDIS and startled the Doctor.

Lights blinked on the console, motors whirred, and a bell chimed softly as the Time Lord clad in pinstripes dashed from the pilot's seat, awoken from a light nap by the screams that were still coming.

Quick, heavy footfalls echoed dully and the screams got closer, closer and closer until they were right behind a simple blue door.

The Doctor disregarded the act of knocking. The cold, brass doorknob- unlocked- turned easily in his grip, and wood swung open, leaving thin darkness to greet him from inside.

Dim lights flickered on as the Doctor hurried in, finding a mess on the floor beside the bed: tangled sheets and thick blankets strewn about, half-covering the shaking body- legs drawn to his chest, face buried in his knees, hands clawing at his temples, figure trembling like a leaf and breaths coming in heavy sobs. A sight much too painful, and much too familiar.

Blankets were tossed aside and hands were pried away cautiously from tender skin, and the Doctor sighed as the Master seemed to notice his presence and simply collapsed against him. The Doctor pulled him closer and knew that normally, this would be refused with scowls and curses, but this was one of the bad times, and the bad times were different.

The Master mumbled something too quiet to hear and breathed out a small, shuddery sob, instinctively grabbing a fistful of the Doctor's shirt. The Doctor rubbed his shoulder, staring blankly at the wall in front of them.

Then the words tumbled out- he hadn't meant for them to leave from their place on his tongue, but they were dancing in the air now, and it only felt right that the rest of the words joined the first ones too.

The melody was simple- soft and sweet, an old, old lullaby from a place with red grass and twin suns. To someone who didn't speak the language, it sounded like the tinkling of running water. The words were smooth and flowed easily from one to the next.

To ones who did know the tune and the tongue it was sung in, it was a gentle story of brotherhood and a promise. Children of the Academy held it close to their hearts- a memory of home, of being tucked into bed with the words drifting around them, their mother's enchanting voice still hanging in the air long after the song was finished.

The Master's hoarse, quiet voice joined slowly until the light, friendly melody was sung by both of them- nightmares of war and carnage and metal monsters forgotten in the lullaby of their childhoods.

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**A/N: Reviews are candy for an author with a major sweet tooth! ;D**


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